Aqua lift



Dec. 6, 1966 M` FREDERICK AQUA LIFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 18, 1964 3,3/1 Elf Se ""1 Dec- 6 1956 L. M. FREDERICK 3,289,627

AQUA LIFT Filed Aug. 18, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'TTOR/VE Y United States Patent O 3,289,627 AQUA LIFT Lawrence Malahy Frederick, Gulfport, Fla., assignor to Indiana Avirett, Lake Wales, Fla. Filed Aug. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 390,366 1 Claim. (Cl. 11M- 230) The present invention relates to marine docking of boats and particularly relatively small boats where boats are elevated by the tide Iand suspended in elevated positions above the water by ratchets coacting with toothed wheels of drums, and in particular an aqua lift positioned on a dock in a boat house or in the open whereby as a boat is elevated by the tide it is suspended by latches in an elevated position, and as the tide recedes the boat remains elevated until it is lowered by cables attached to ends of the boat, and wherein `the lowering operation is controlled by paddle wheels rotating in oil, or the like, in cylinders.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an aqua lift wherein a boat elevated by the tide, is retained in an elevated position until manually released whereby the boat may be lowered slowly and with ease.

Various Vtypes of davits and other boat supporting elements have been provided particularly in marinas. However, although boats are easily elevated by the tide it is dicult to lower a boat without the possibility of damage to the boat or dock.

With this thought in mind this invention contemplates an aqua lift or boat retaining device positioned on a dock or `in a boat house whereby a boat is suspended above the water step by step as it is raised by the tide, and wherein the boat is readily lowered by a pinion and gear or paddle wheel controlled by a cable.

The object of this invention is to provide a boat supporting assembly wherein a boat elevated by tide remains in an elevated position until -the boat is manually released.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frame for retaining boats elevated by the tide in elevated positions with the water receding.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a retaining device for suspending boats elevated by the tide in elevated positions whereby such boats may be retained above the water level. f

A further object of the invention is to provide a retaining device for supporting boats elevated by the tide in elevated positions in which `the device may be installed by the average layman.

A still further object is to provide an aqua lift or boat retaining device for retaining boats elevated by the tide in elevated position in which the retaining device is of simple and economical construction.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the illustrations of the drawings as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a method by which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies drums in close proximity -to ends of a boat, cables on the drums and connected by hooks to rings on the ends of boats, coil springs on ends of the drums for winding the cables on the drums as boats are elevated by the tide, ratchet wheels on ends of the drums and positioned to mesh with pawls pivotally mounted on ICC a supporting frame and actuated by cables having loops at the ends, paddle wheels actuated by pinions meshing with gears also at the ends of the drums and positioned to retard rotation ofthe drums, and suitable cables trained over the idrums and connecting the drums to a boat for restricting the lowering movement of a boat.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view showing the aqua lift supporting a boat in a boat house.

FIGURE 2 is a View illustrating the spring loaded reel assembly by which a boat is suspended by rafters or other frame elements.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view showing cables on the stern of a boat.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the spring loaded reel assembly of the aqua lift.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded View illustrating the elements of the reel.

FIGURE 6 shows a vspring for winding a cable on a drum as the tide rises.

FIGURE 7 shows the drum of the reel assembly.

FIGURE 8 shows a ratchet wheel that coacts with a pawl or dog for holding a boat at different elevations.

FIGURE 9 shows a gear that meshes with a pinion for operating a paddle wheel for retarding lowering movements of a boat. 4

FIGURE 10 is a view showing a modification wherein boats are elevated by the tide and retained in elevated position by a ratchet and pawl, the lowering movements of the boat being controlled by a paddle wheel. pinion and gear rack.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred-to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted t0 in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout and in which the numeral 10 indicates a yoke in which the parts are rotatably mounted, numeral 11 indicating a ratchet assembly including a drum 12, a coil spring 13, a ratchet wheel 14 having a dog 15 in meshing relation therewith, a cog Wheel or gear 16 meshing with a pinion 17 on a shaft 18 of a paddle wheel 19, that retards lowering of a boat, a lever 20 having a handle 21 depending from an extended end by a cable 22 and on the inner end of which the dog 15 is positioned, a cable 22a extended from the drum 12 to the bow and stern of a boat 23, with the cable connected to a ring 24 from which a cable 25 extends to a clevis 26 on the bow of the boat and to a cable 27 that extends to rings 28 and 29 on the stern over a pulley 30 that is suspended from a beam 31 by a cable or rod 32.

In the design illustrated in the drawings beams 33 and 34 are secured to roof rafters 35 4by bolts 36. The aqua lift assembly may, however, be supported by other suitable means, and such assembly may be used at either, or both ends of the apparatus as shown at 37 in full lines in FIGURE 1, and at 38 in dotted lines in said figure.

The yoke 10 may be suspended by a hook 40 threaded a shaft 42 extended through legs 43 and 44 of the yoke.'

The cable 22a, the lower end of which is provided with a hook 45 is Wrapped around the drum 12 and as a boat /is moved upwardly by the tide the spring 13, the tension of which is about pounds, rotates the drum winding the cable thereon. The pawl of the lever 20 snaps over the teeth 46 of the ratchet wheel 14, Ibeing urged against the teeth by spring 47 attached to the lever 20 through an eye 48 at one end and to the intermediate part of the leg 44 of the yoke by screws, at the other.

To lower a boat the pawl is moved out of engagement with the teeth 46 by pulling downwardly with the handle 21 which is connected by the cable 22 to an eye 50 on the extended end of the lever 20. The lever is pivotally mounted by pin 51 in the leg 44 of the yoke, the pin being positioned in a lug 52 on the lever 20.

The inner end of the spring 13 is secured by a fastener 53 to a bar mounted on the leg 43 of the yoke and extended into the spring. The opposite or outer end 55 of the spring is secured to the drum 12 by a fastener 56.

The shaft 18 of the paddle wheel 19 is rotatably mounted in the leg 44 of the yoke and outer wall 57 of the paddle Wheel housing 58 and as the paddle Wheel rotates in a fluid rotation of the gear 16 and shaft 42 are retarded. The gear 16 meshes with the pinion 17, as shown in FIGURE 9.

In the modification, shown in FIGURE 10, a ratchet bar 60 is slidably mounted in a housing 61 and the upper end of the bar 60 is attached by a pin 62 to a spring 63 which pulls the bar 60 upwardly as a boat is raised by the tide. The housing is also provided with a gear rack 64 that meshes with a pinion 65 on a shaft 66 whereby downward movement of a boat rotates a paddle wheel 67 restricting downward movement of a boat. The ratchet bar 60 is retained in an elevated position resulting from upward movement of a boat by the tide by a vpawl 68 pivotally mounted in the housing by a pin 69 and controlled by a handle 70 suspended from a lever 71 by cable 72. Downward movement 0f the end 73 of the lever 71 moves the pawl 68 outwardly as indicated by the dotted lines 74 whereby the pawl 68 releases the latch bar permitting the boat to drop.

The lower end of the latch bar 60 is provided with an eye 75 to which a hook 76 is connected by a link 77. By this means a boat, elevated by the tide may be retained in different elevated positions until released by pulling on the handle 70.

The opposite end of the spring 47 is attached to a leg oftheyoke10byapin49. i

In an aqua lift designed and constructed as illustrated and described, a boat at a dock or in a boat house rises with the tide and with the spring 13 winding slack in the cables, chains, or lines on the drum 12, and with the pawl 15 of the latching wheel 14 retaining the parts whereby the boat remains in an elevated position as the tide drops or recedes.

The boat is suspended in the elevated position until the pawl 15 is drawn away from the ratchet wheel 14 at which time the boat moves downwardly, and the downward movement is retarded by the paddle Wheel 19 rotating in a sealed container filled with oil or the like.

The lift may also be provided with one or more friction checks or stops in the form of an elastic ball, or the like, and the balls or elements may be provided with set screws 81. These checks retard downward movements of boats and the like.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that an aqua lift constructed in accordance with this invention is particularly well adapted for use, Iby reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that the invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason it is not desired to be limited to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out the invention in practice, except as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A tide actuated boat lift comprising: a drum, a spring for actuating the drum, a yoke for supporting said drum, a ratchet wheel secured to the drum for rotation therewith and a latch means engageable with said ratchet Wheel for releasing said drum, said drum keeping a line secured to a boat taut as the tide rises and preventing the boat from being lowered as the tide recedes and thereby holding the boat above water except at high tide.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 104,843 6/ 1870 Ferris 61-65 112,525 3/ 1871 Albertson 61-65 2,465,118 3/1949 Platt 214-1 2,640,534 6/ 1953 Coding 114-230 X 2,686,491 8/1954 Ohmstede 114-230 2,952,236 9/ 1960 Moyes 114-230 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner, T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner, 

